


Work to Work it Out

by thundercaya



Series: Exterminator!Steve (auxiliary) [7]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Communication, M/M, don't mess with Steve's scones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-19
Updated: 2014-02-19
Packaged: 2018-01-13 01:30:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1207786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thundercaya/pseuds/thundercaya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of course if it wasn't Stella it had to be Kevin. Steve couldn't even blame the Faceless Old Woman who... used to live in his home. She'd moved out long ago, after Steve left her one passive-aggressive note too many.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Work to Work it Out

Steve wasn't very forgiving when he got a work call outside of business hours. This morning was the exception, because when the call roused him, he woke to a sleeping Kevin, naked and half on top of him.

"Can it wait until tomorrow?" Steve asked once the client explained the situation to the extent that she could without breaking any laws. "I charge double on Sundays."

Kevin stirred, waking up, and Steve ran his free hand down the man's back. Kevin hummed lightly and began licking Steve's neck.

"You know what?" Steve said, "I'm in a good mood." Kevin was biting now. A _very_ good mood. "I'll do it at the regular rate. Yes, just this once. I'll be there this afternoon."

Of course, it couldn't last.

Not this thing with Kevin. Steve intended to make _that_ last as long as he possibly could. It was his good mood that couldn't last. After some heavy making out and a shower, Steve went to the kitchen to get breakfast going. He opened the fridge. Closed it. Opened it again.

"Shit," he muttered. He went to Stella's door, knocking loudly to be heard over the pop rock music pouring out.

Stella answered her door, still in her pjs. "Morning, Dad. What's up?"

"Morning, sweetheart. Did you happen to eat the blueberries that were in the fridge?"

"Dad," Stella said. "Have I lived with you my entire life or haven't I?"

"I know," Steve said, scratching the back of his head. "I just didn't want to jump-- I mean, I didn't want to accuse--"

"Go talk to him," Stella said before closing her door.

Of course if it wasn't Stella it had to be Kevin. Steve couldn't even blame the Faceless Old Woman who... used to live in his home. She'd moved out long ago, after Steve left her one passive-aggressive note too many.  Just slightly queasy, Steve went back to his room and sat on the bed, waiting for Kevin to come out of the shower.

"Is breakfast ready?" Kevin asked brightly as he emerged from the bathroom, only a towel on. For a moment Steve said nothing; the towel was around Kevin's neck.

 _Focus, Steve_. "No," he said finally. "Cheshire Cat, could you get dressed and sit down? I need to talk to you."

Kevin furrowed his brow and quickly complied. "What's the matter, dearest?" he asked once he was seated.

"Kevin, look," Steve began. "It's just--you.... Well, what I mean is that you..."--he winced-- "look really nice today."

"Thank you, darling," Kevin said, "but I don't think that's what you wanted to tell me."

"No, you're right," Steve admitted, averting his gaze. "It's actually, uh.... Kevin.... You... uh... you... are the light in my life."

"And you as well, Steve," Kevin said. "But again...."

"Right," Steve muttered. He looked at Kevin again. "Kevin, you ate the blueberries in my fridge even though they were clearly labeled 'for scones, do not eat.'"

Kevin opened his mouth to answer, then paused thoughtfully and frowned. " _Ohh._ Were they?"

"I could get the container out of the trash and show you, but I don't know why you'd need me to."

"It was the middle of the night," Kevin explained. "I was hungry and I guess I was too tired to notice the label."

"It's all-- Well, no, it's not all right," Steve said. "It _should_ be all right, because it shouldn't be that big of a deal, but it kind of is, and I'm kind of really pissed and I kind of want to throttle you right now in a not-sexy way. I'm not trying threaten you, and I wouldn't actually do anything to hurt you, but if you want a mental picture of what I'm feeling right now, that would be it."

"Don't worry, I understand," Kevin said. "Sometimes I want to punch people's teeth out."

"What? Really? You?" Steve asked. "That's not like code for a high five or something?"

"Steve, it's not like I've never been angry."

"Right, no, I know," Steve said, though it was rare enough that Steve could pretend to have imagined the time he and Cecil had made Kevin mad.

"I'm very sorry I upset you," Kevin said. "I'll make sure to check for a label next time."

"Thank you," Steve said, letting some of the tension out of his shoulders with a sigh. That was easier than he expected."I appreciate that. I really do."

Kevin put a hand on his knee. "Steve, listen. This is obviously very important to you, and I'm not questioning if it should be, but if I can I'd like to understand why. So... could you try explaining it to me?"

Steve shrugged helplessly. "This house is the only place where I have any control."

"Oh, Steve, see?" Kevin said. "It all makes sense now. I understand perfectly why you would feel that way. Though if it helps at all, I don't think that's true. You have control of your job, too."

"Please," Steve said. "If everyone stopped paying me tomorrow, I'd work for free. I don't want someone's kid to get eaten by huge ants. If I wasn't so good at bluffing I'd never get paid."

"Weren't," Kevin corrected.

"Oh my _God_ , who are you, Cecil?"

"Cecil!" Kevin exclaimed suddenly. "Oh my goodness. If you got this angry at my first offense, and he ticked you off day after day and you never so much as told him, then by the time you two broke up, you probably _would_ have not-sexy-throttled him."

"I was actually thinking termite gas for him," Steve admitted. "Although if he'd let me _sexy_ -throttle him, that might have given me the chance to let off enough stress to-- I shouldn't be saying this."

Kevin leaned in. "No, no," he said, sincere. "Go on."

Steve cleared his throat. "Uh... actually, we should probably eat. And I need to get more blueberries, thanks to _someone_."

Kevin grinned sheepishly. "If it helps, they were kind of sour."

Steve grinned back in spite of himself. "It helps a bit."


End file.
